This section provides background information related to the present disclosure and is not necessarily prior art.
In an attempt to reduce the quantity of undesirable matter (e.g., NOx, hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, and/or particulate matter) discharged to the atmosphere during internal combustion engine operation, a number of exhaust aftertreatment devices have been developed. Typical aftertreatment systems for combustion engine exhaust may include an oxidation catalyst (e.g., a diesel oxidation catalyst or DOC), a particulate filter (e.g., a diesel particulate filter or DPF), a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system, and/or other aftertreatment components.
Thermoelectric generator (TEG) systems can be employed to generate electrical energy from heat energy in a stream of exhaust gas. Such electrical energy can be used to power various electrical accessories or subsystems of a vehicle, for example. That is, TEG cartridges can be positioned within an exhaust gas passageway of an exhaust aftertreatment system to absorb heat from the exhaust gas therein so that TEG system can convert the heat to electrical energy. TEG cartridges can be catalyzed (e.g., coated with a catalytic substance) so that the TEG cartridges can treat the exhaust gas to reduce the quantity of undesirable constituents in the exhaust gas.